Lance Carson
*Perfume: The Story of a Murderer* is a 2006 film starring Ben Whishaw as Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, an 18th-century French orphan with an extraordinary sense of smell. The film follows Grenouille's journey as he becomes one of France's finest perfumers, only to have his work take a dark turn as he becomes obsessed with capturing the scent of young womanhood. The film explores themes of existentialism, the sensuality of the human experience, and the power of scent in our lives. Despite receiving mixed reviews, with some critics calling it pedestrian and creepy, others praised its visuals and unique storyline.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Perfume: The Story of a Murderer |
| Year | 2006 |
| Genre | Crime, Drama, Fantasy |
| Rating | 7.5/10 |
| Main Character | Jean-Baptiste Grenouille |
| Main Character's Characteristics | Superior olfactory sense, no personal scent, perceived as strange or disturbing |
| Plot | Grenouille's quest to create the perfect perfume by capturing the scent of young women, which takes a dark turn as he becomes a serial killer |
| Themes | Existentialism, human savageness, the role of women, the importance of smell, the correlation between scent and worth |
| Reception | Mixed reviews, with criticism for glorifying a serial killer and not exploring themes in depth, but praised for its visuals and unique storyline |
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What You'll Learn
Jean-Baptiste Grenouille's superior olfactory sense
Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born in the stench of 18th-century Paris, is a central character in the movie "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer". Grenouille is born with a superior olfactory sense, which means he has an exceptional sense of smell. He is able to distinguish a vast range of scents in the complex mixtures around him, even across great distances. This ability gives him an extraordinary, almost supernatural power.
Grenouille is also odourless, and this, combined with his acute sense of smell, leads him on a journey to create the perfect scent that will allow him to control humanity. He becomes a perfumer's apprentice and learns the conventional methods of creating perfumes. However, his work takes a dark turn as he tries to preserve human scents, specifically those that inspire love, which he lacks in his life. He becomes a serial killer, murdering young women and attempting to extract their scents to create the ultimate perfume.
Grenouille's superior olfactory sense is central to the movie's plot and aesthetic. The filmmakers used colour palettes, sets, costumes, props, and lighting to represent Grenouille's experience of new smells. As he discovers more scents, the colour palette in the movie becomes warmer and more vibrant. The movie also explores the relationship between scent and emotional meaning, and the importance of smell in our lives.
Grenouille's lack of a personal scent and his intense hatred of humanity further isolate him from others. He is perceived as strange and disturbing, and his desire to possess the rare scents of others leads him to commit murder. Despite creating a perfume that gives him power over people, Grenouille realises that they only want him for his perfume and not for who he is. This leads to his demise as he lets himself be devoured by a crowd, understanding that people only praise those with objects of power.
Grenouille's superior olfactory sense is both a gift and a curse, allowing him to create exquisite perfumes but also driving him to extreme and violent actions in his pursuit of the ultimate scent.
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The search for the ultimate scent
Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born in the slums of 18th-century Paris with an incredible sense of smell, which he uses to create the world's finest perfumes. However, his work takes a dark turn as he becomes obsessed with capturing the scent of a young woman's body, which he finds elusive and frustrating. He is haunted by a catalytic act of violence and becomes obsessed with capturing the female essence, dedicating himself to the dark quest of creating the ultimate perfume.
Grenouille is drawn to the scent of Laure Richis, the daughter of a wealthy man, and decides that she will be the “thirteenth scent”, the key to his perfect perfume. He learns the method of enfleurage and starts experimenting, killing young women and attempting to extract their scents. He successfully preserves the scent of a prostitute he murders and embarks on a killing spree, targeting young women and capturing their scents, dumping their naked corpses around the city.
Grenouille's search for the ultimate scent is driven by his belief that scent gives people their worth. Having no scent of his own, he feels like an alien in a world where people's worth is reflected in their scent. He thinks that creating the perfect scent will prove his worth and turn him into a person who can be loved. However, he eventually realizes that people only desire him for his perfume and not for who he is, which leads to his tragic end.
The movie "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" explores the importance of smell and how it relates to human existence. It delves into the sensuality and vanity of humans, showcasing their savageness and the power of scent to evoke strong emotions and even control people's actions. The film's aesthetic and use of color enhance the story, particularly as Grenouille discovers new scents and experiences the world through his extraordinary sense of smell.
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The dark aesthetic
Director Tom Tykwer described Perfume: The Story of a Murderer as having "a distinctly dark aesthetic". This aesthetic is achieved through both the film's lighting and its narrative. The lighting in the film is influenced by painters who specialised in darkness with few sources of light, including Caravaggio, Joseph Wright of Derby, and Rembrandt. The film begins with a cool, monochromatic colour palette, which gradually warms and opens up as the protagonist Grenouille discovers more scents.
The film's depiction of violence and extreme imagery has been a point of contention for some viewers. While some critics argue that the film is more visually overwhelming than shocking, others have described it as "repellent" and "repugnant". The film's aesthetic and narrative have also been accused of perpetuating tropes that objectify and harm women.
Despite the mixed reactions to its dark aesthetic and controversial themes, Perfume has been praised for its stunning visuals and unique storyline. The film has been described as a "feast for the senses" and an "original" take on the serial killer genre.
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The symbolism of the perfume
The 2006 film Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Patrick Süskind. The film centres on Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a man with a superhuman sense of smell on a quest to create the perfect scent.
The perfume Grenouille creates can be seen as a symbol of love. Grenouille is detached and lacks a personal scent, making him invisible to others. He believes that by creating the perfect perfume, he can transcend love and finally be seen. However, in the end, people only love the perfume, not him. This highlights the tragedy of Grenouille's character and his inability to relate to himself or others.
The scent of the women Grenouille kills is also symbolic. The women are beautiful, loved, and coming of age, threatening to separate them from the pure love they have with their fathers. Grenouille sees killing as a necessity to preserve the purity of their scent, which is tainted by emotions and stress. This could symbolise the dualities in society, such as being loved and hated, or the gifted and the normal.
The use of colour in the film is another symbolic element. As Grenouille discovers more scents, the colour palette becomes warmer and more vibrant, reflecting his experience of new smells. This adds to the overall symbolism of the perfume as a way for Grenouille to navigate the world and find his place in it.
Overall, the symbolism of the perfume in the film explores themes of love, identity, and the dualities of human existence. Grenouille's quest for the perfect scent is a metaphor for his search for self-acceptance and a place in a society that often rejects him.
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The existential themes
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is a 2006 film starring Ben Whishaw as Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a perfumer with a superior olfactory sense. The film is based on the 1986 German novel Das Parfum and explores various existential themes.
One of the central existential themes in the film is the idea of personal identity and the search for purpose. Grenouille is born without a scent of his own, which is interpreted as a lack of soul or self. This makes him feel like an outsider, and he becomes obsessed with the idea of creating a perfect perfume that will give him an identity and make him worthy of love and desire. This quest for self-discovery and purpose drives his actions throughout the film, including his dark turn towards murder and his ultimate sacrifice.
Grenouille's belief that he lacks a scent or soul leads to his alienation from society and his perception that others find him strange and disturbing. This sense of otherness is a common existential theme, reflecting the human experience of feeling disconnected or not fitting in. Grenouille's alienation is further exacerbated by his superior olfactory sense, which sets him apart from others and contributes to his sense of isolation.
The film also explores the existential theme of the human condition and the nature of desire. Grenouille's quest for the ultimate perfume is driven by his desire to capture the essence of innocence and youth, specifically the scent of a woman's body. This desire is portrayed as both sensual and destructive, reflecting the complex nature of human wants and needs. Grenouille's obsession with scent and his attempt to control and manipulate it can be seen as a metaphor for the human struggle to understand and navigate our desires and impulses.
Another existential theme in the film is the relationship between identity, worth, and external validation. Grenouille believes that his lack of scent makes him worthless, and he becomes convinced that creating the perfect perfume will prove his worth and make him valuable in the eyes of others. This quest for external validation is ultimately unfulfilling, as he realizes that people only desire him for his perfume and not for who he is. This theme reflects the human struggle to define ourselves and our worth outside of the approval and admiration of others.
Finally, the film touches on the existential concept of free will versus determinism. Grenouille's actions are driven by his past experiences and his desire to find purpose and identity. However, his lack of scent and alienation from society can also be seen as factors that limit his freedom and determine his path towards darkness. This tension between free will and determinism is a common existential theme, exploring the extent to which individuals have control over their lives and destinies.
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Frequently asked questions
The movie Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is about a man, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, with an incredible sense of smell who becomes obsessed with capturing the scent of a young woman. He goes on a killing spree, targeting young women and capturing their scents by extracting pheromones for his perfume.
The movie is based on the 1986 German book Das Parfum by Patrick Süskind.
The movie explores the themes of existentialism, the savageness of humans, and the importance of smell in our lives. It also comments on the media's obsession with portraying men killing good-looking women.
